Even though the Giro is over, I still have a few recipes left from Italy to feature. This Sicilian recipe, with Spanish origins, features eggplant which were first brought over to the island back to the ninth century. It was introduced by people who lived in desert areas in and around the Roman province of Arabia. Culinary scholars believe that using the eggplant in this fashion most likely dates back to the 1700’s and might possibly have been invented by a Spaniard on a ship that used the vinegar as a preservative.

The sweet and vinegary dish is best served at room temperature or slightly chilled. I’m usually a little hesitant to add celery because it tends to draw attention away from the rest of the dish. But, in this case, the sweetness counterbalanced that overbearing celery taste.

Don’t let the list of ingredients scare you off. This pasta salad is filled with a wide variety of flavors and textures. It makes a lot, so I’m sure we’ll be eating the leftovers for the rest of the week!

The original recipe comes from the Savvy Vegetarian; however, I’ve listed the ingredients that I used below.